U.S. patent application number 15/715337 was filed with the patent office on 2019-03-28 for roller compactor with steam.
The applicant listed for this patent is Freund-Vector Corporation. Invention is credited to BRIAN K. JENSEN.
Application Number | 20190091103 15/715337 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 65806896 |
Filed Date | 2019-03-28 |
![](/patent/app/20190091103/US20190091103A1-20190328-D00000.png)
![](/patent/app/20190091103/US20190091103A1-20190328-D00001.png)
![](/patent/app/20190091103/US20190091103A1-20190328-D00002.png)
![](/patent/app/20190091103/US20190091103A1-20190328-D00003.png)
United States Patent
Application |
20190091103 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
JENSEN; BRIAN K. |
March 28, 2019 |
ROLLER COMPACTOR WITH STEAM
Abstract
A steam or reactant system is provided for a roller compactor to
provide improved compaction or functional characteristic of
powdered materials, such as active pharmaceutical ingredients. The
steam or reactants can be added through conduits terminating in
nozzles adjacent the nip zone of the compaction rollers. The
injection nozzles can be directed tangentially from the above the
rollers or laterally from the sides of the rollers. In one
embodiment, the moisture is in the form of steam. The resulting
compacting sheet has improved compaction characteristics and
reduced compression variability.
Inventors: |
JENSEN; BRIAN K.; (CEDAR
RAPIDS, IA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Freund-Vector Corporation |
Marion |
IA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
65806896 |
Appl. No.: |
15/715337 |
Filed: |
September 26, 2017 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B30B 11/18 20130101;
B30B 15/308 20130101; B30B 15/34 20130101; A61K 9/1682 20130101;
A61J 3/02 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A61J 3/02 20060101
A61J003/02; A61K 9/16 20060101 A61K009/16 |
Claims
1. A roller compactor machine for compressing powdered
pharmaceuticals, the machine having a pair of adjacent rollers
defining a nip zone between the rollers and a hopper with a feed
screw for feeding the powdered pharmaceuticals to the rollers, the
improvement comprising: a source of steam; and a first conduit
having an inlet connected to the steam source and an outlet
adjacent the nip zone to introduce steam to the powdered
pharmaceuticals prior to compaction by the rollers.
2. The roller compactor machine of claim 1 wherein the machine
includes a side seal, and the conduit extends through the side
seal.
3. The roller compactor machine of claim 1 wherein the machine
includes a top seal, and the conduit extends through the top
seal.
4. The roller compactor machine of claim 1 wherein the conduit
extends through the feed screw.
5. The roller compactor machine of claim 1 wherein the conduit
extends through one of the rollers.
6. The roller compactor machine of claim 1 further comprising a
second conduit connected to the steam source and having an outlet
adjacent the nip zone.
7. The roller compactor machine of claim 6 wherein the first and
second conduits extend along opposite ones of the rollers.
8. A method of producing a compressed product from a powdered
product using a roller compactor machine having a pair of adjacent
rollers defining a nip zone between the rollers and a hopper with a
feed screw for feeding the powdered pharmaceuticals to the rollers,
the method comprising: feeding powdered material from the hopper to
the rollers; and adding a reactant adjacent the nip zone to
minimize compression variability in the compressed product.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein the reactant is steam which
produces a moisture content in the compressed product of
approximately 1%.
10. The method of claim 8 wherein the reactant is added through a
side seal in the machine.
11. The method of claim 8 wherein the reactant is added through a
top seal in the machine.
12. The method of claim 8 wherein the reactant is added through a
feed screw on the machine.
13. The method of claim 8 wherein the reactant is added through one
of the rollers.
14. The method of claim 8 wherein the reactant is selected from a
group comprising steam, acids, bases, alcohols, liquid binders,
liquid polymers, and combinations thereof.
15. A compacted API product, made by: supplying powdered API to a
hopper; discharging the powdered API from the hopper to a nip zone
above a pair of compaction rollers; introducing steam adjacent the
nip zone to the powdered API to produce modified API; and passing
the modified API between the compactor rollers so as to compact the
modified API into the compacted API product.
16. The product of claim 15 wherein the modification of the API is
achieved through the introduction of steam.
17. The product of claim 15 wherein the modification of the API is
achieved through the introduction of a reactant other than
steam.
18. The product of claim 15 wherein the compacted API product has
an increased moisture content of approximately or less than 1%.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] Roller compactors are often used for densification and dry
granulation of powdered material. The roller compactor compacts the
powdered or granular material between two rollers under pressure to
produce uniform sheets of compacted powder, with a desired hardness
and density. The compacted sheets can then be used to manufacture
granules for various purposes, such as free flowing granules for
automatic packaging of products, high density granules for reduced
product packaged sizes, and granules for high speed tableting or
encapsulation, with consistent dust-free purity and size.
[0002] In a conventional roller compactor machine, powder material
from a hopper is pre-compacted with a screw feeder that delivers
the powder to the rollers. The screw feeder may be tapered
straight, helical, or a combination tapered and straight screw, as
described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,384,256.
[0003] Some types of material do not compress consistently. For
example, some types of powdered active pharmaceutical ingredients
(API) passed through a roller compactor product granule with
varying compression results, resulting in tablets with variable
characteristics due to particulate size variation, crystal
morphology, reaction to heat or pressure, and/or chemical
variability from differing suppliers.
[0004] Therefore, a primary objective of the present invention is
the provision of an improved roller compactor which mitigates
compression variability of powdered materials.
[0005] Another objective of the present invention is the provision
of a roller compactor using steam treatment to enhance powdered
material compression.
[0006] A further objective of the present invention is a provision
of a roller compactor having steam added adjacent the nip zone to
improve compaction of powdered material by the rollers.
[0007] Still another objective of the present invention is a
provision of a method of producing a compressed product from
powdered material using a roller compactor machine with steam.
[0008] A further objective of the present invention is the
provision of an improved roller compaction machine for compacting
powdered materials into sheets having consistent compression
characteristics.
[0009] Another objective of the present inventions is the provision
of an improved roller compaction machine which compacts powdered
material which does not compact well in conventional roller
compactor systems.
[0010] Yet another objective of the present invention is the
provision of a compacted API product made by introducing moisture
adjacent the nip zone of a roller compactor so as to minimize
compression variability of the compacted product.
[0011] Yet another objective of the present invention is the
provision of a compacted API product made by introducing chemicals
or reactants adjacent the nip zone of a roller compactor so as to
minimize compression variability of the compacted product or to
complete a reaction in the raw materials.
[0012] Yet another objective of the present invention is the
provision is that the where steam or other reactants are introduced
the compressed sheet produced does not increase significantly in
moisture content.
[0013] These and other objectives have become apparent from the
following description of the invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0014] A roller compactor machine is provided for compressing
powdered materials, particularly pharmaceutical materials, into
compressed sheets having uniform and consistent compression
properties throughout the sheet. The roller compactor machine
includes a hopper with a feed screw to feed the powdered material
to a pair of rollers. Moisture, preferably in the form of steam
from a steam source, or other reactant is introduced adjacent the
nip zone or point of the rollers to enhance compression uniformity
of the powdered material during compaction by the rollers. The
steam is added via one or more conduits from above the nip zone, or
alternatively, laterally into the nip zone.
[0015] The method of the present invention produces a compressed
product from powdered material using a roller compactor machine
which feeds the powdered material into a nip point between a pair
of rollers, with steam or moisture or other reactant added adjacent
the nip zone to minimize compression variability of the compressed
product.
[0016] A compacted powdered product is made, such as from active
pharmaceutical ingredients, by discharging the powdered API from a
hopper to the nip zone above the pair of compaction rollers, and
introducing steam, moisture or another reactant adjacent the nip
zone to the powdered API so as to produce a modified API, and
passing the API with modified characteristics between the
compaction rollers to form a compacted product.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] FIG. 1 is a schematic view a roller compactor machine,
showing the hopper, screw, and compaction rollers.
[0018] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the rollers, with top and
side steam or reactant injection options.
[0019] FIG. 3 is an end elevation view of the rollers and steam
ports shown in FIG. 2.
[0020] FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along lines 4-4 of FIG.
3.
[0021] FIG. 5 is a sectional taken along lines 5-5 of FIG. 4.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0022] As shown in FIG. 1, the roller compacter machine 10 of the
present invention includes a hopper 12 for storing powdered
material, such as an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) to be
compressed into sheets by the machine 10. The machine 10 also
includes a discharge chute 14 with an internal screw or auger
feeder 16 to direct the powder material from the hopper 12 through
a pair of compaction rollers 18 which rotate in opposite
directions. The chute 14 has an outlet adjacent a nip zone 20
between the rollers 18. While FIG. 1 shows the screw 16 to have a
tapered profile, it is understood that the screw 16 may have other
configurations such as a straight screw, or a combination straight
and tapered screw, as described in applicant's U.S. Pat. No.
7,384,256.
[0023] The present invention is directed toward a steam or reactant
delivery system for the roller compactor machine 10. In addition to
steam, useful reactants may include, but are not limited to, acids
and dilute acids, bases and dilute bases, alcohols, liquid binders,
liquid polymers, and combinations of these reactants.
[0024] The steam/reactant delivery system includes one or more
conduits connecting to a source of moisture to inject or deliver
the moisture to an area adjacent or upstream from the nip point 20.
The addition of moisture to the powder material prior to compaction
by the rollers 18 provides more consistent compression of the
powdered material and improves the compression characteristics of
the compacted material, thereby minimizing compression variability
of the compressed product. For example, mixing or injecting steam
or reactants at a level of 1-50% w/w or more preferably 2-30% w/w
or even more preferably 2-15% w/w creates a continuous compressed
sheet of material that otherwise would be poorly compressible or
incompressible or with desirable functional characteristics whereas
before steam or reactant injection the compressed sheet may not
have had desirable characteristics such as those of dissolution,
solubility, bioavailability or other desirable characteristics. The
roller compacter machine 10, in effect, acts as a mixer and single
screw extruder wherein pre-mixing the powder material and moisture
gives improved uniformity of content for the compressed sheet
coming out of the rollers 18.
[0025] In a preferred embodiment, the desirable compression
characteristics or functional characteristics are achieved by
adding steam. The steam may be provided through or adjacent the nip
zone 20 by one or more conduits each terminating in a nozzle. For
example, conduits 22A, 22B, and 22C are shown in FIGS. 2-5. The
conduits 22A, 22B are positioned above the rollers, and are
directed at an angle tangential to the surface of the rollers 18,
with outlets or nozzles 24A, 24B directed toward the nip point 20.
Alternatively, or in addition to conduits 22A, 22B, a conduit 22C
may extend transversely to the roller surfaces, parallel to the
roller axes. The conduit 22C also has an outlet 24C adjacent the
nip zone 20.
[0026] Thus, the steam from a source 26 may be provided from above
the rollers 18, as with conduits 20A and 20B, or from the side of
the rollers as with conduit 20C. These top steam injection port(s)
and side steam injection port(s) function substantially the same to
mix with the powder product prior to compaction so as yield an
improved compressed product.
[0027] Another alternative is to provide a steam passage way 28
through the feed screw 16 to introduce the steam through an orifice
at the nip zone 20. A further alternative is to introduce the steam
through the rollers 18 via a rotary connection. Yet another
alternative is the injection of steam through a side seal sintered
plug, or other means. Yet another alternative is the extraction of
steam through a side seal sintered plug, or other means. Each of
the above-mentioned alternatives also hold for the injection of
other gases or reactants.
[0028] While the drawings show the side injection conduit 22C as
entering from the front of the rollers 18, it is understood that a
side injection conduit can be provided from the back of the
rollers, or from both the front and back sides of the rollers
18.
[0029] Test results show evidence of clear knurling and sharper
edges through the compressed sheet, with not more than
approximately 1% additional moisture content in the compressed
sheet. The steam compacted API sheet can then by more easily and
consistently granulated due to the improved compression
characteristics.
[0030] The invention has been shown and described above with the
preferred embodiments, and it is understood that many
modifications, substitutions, and additions may be made which are
within the intended spirit and scope of the invention. From the
foregoing, it can be seen that the present invention accomplishes
at least all of its stated objectives.
* * * * *